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A N I M A T I O N + C L I M A T E S T O R Y
ONCE UPON A FUTURE
Reem's Dream : Fighting Climate Change for a Brighter Future in Ethiopia
Premiered at the Summit of the Future 2024 at UN Headquarters in New York
Meet Reem, an 18-year-old Ethiopian girl navigating the challenges of life in Addis Ababa. After moving from a rural area to access better education, Reem and her mother rely on family support from their family. But with changing weather patterns, their family’s livelihood and Reem's future have been deeply impacted. Climate change has led to reduced crop production, affecting their income and even preventing Reem from attending a prominent high school despite receiving a scholarship. Inspired to make a difference, Reem dreams of becoming an environmentalist, aiming to address these challenges through a gender lens.
This story is part of an animated series developed under StoryLab by United Nations Foundation's Our Future Agenda, showcasing the transformative journeys of real children from around the world. Set against the backdrop of two potential futures, the series highlights the importance of today's decisions in shaping the world for future generations. Each episode contrasts the outcomes of different paths we could take, showing how these choices can lead to vastly different futures.
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M O O D B O A R D
This moodboard grew out of immersive research- from collecting photos, scenes, and stories rooted in Ethiopia’s landscapes, schools, and communities, to listening deeply to how people live, learn, and respond to climate challenges. We pulled together images and information on classrooms, city streets, farmland, daily food, and community action provided by Our Future Agenda’s team to map Ethiopian life shaped by both culture and climate.
⦇ S T O R Y B O A R D ⦈
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A N I M A T I C S
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C H A R A C T E R D E S I G N
Designing Reem's Identity
In developing Reem, our aim wasn't to merely design a character but to discover her inherent identity. This process unveiled the beauty of traditional Ethiopian dresses alongside the vibrancy of contemporary Ethiopian fashion. Her wardrobe incorporates colors that feel distinctly Ethiopian yet resonate globally. Reem embodies the energy of Gen Z from the Global South: she is grounded, expressive, and possesses a quiet boldness. She carries her community, her ambitions, and her stories on her back. Reem stands out not by striving to fit in, but by confidently leading the way.
Reem's Mother
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I L L U S T R A T I O N D E S I G N – W O R L D B U I L D I N G
The visual grounding provided by Moodboards didn’t just inform our understanding; they provided visual grounding that directly influenced our character design and world-building. By visualizing the interplay of elements like weather, education, work, and community, we ensured our visual choices were authentic and "lived-in."
This attention to detail is evident in everything from Reem's wardrobe and posture to the environments she navigates. Ultimately, this grounding allowed our animation to tell a story of resilience rooted in tangible, real-world settings, rather than just abstract visuals.
The film focused on UN's 3 Sustainable Development GOALS
SDG 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
SDG 2: ZERO HUNGER
SDG 9: INDUSTRY
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A N I M A T I O N
@ourfutureagenda
Executive Direction
This animation was proudly produced by the United Nations Foundation, and Directed by Lewis Broadway, Harshani Dharmadasa, David Ohana, Inés Yábar, Vidushi Yadav
We are grateful for the support from our partners, Plan International, UNDP and Earth4all. This story could not be produced without the imagination and inspiration of Reem, Plan International's young changemaker.
Production Team
Creative Direction: Vidushi Yadav, Tanushree Roy Paul
Animation Direction: Debendu Sarkar, Tanushree Roy Paul
Script and Screenplay: Vidushi Yadav, Ashwin Vasudevan, Medhavini Yadav
Storyboard Visualisation: Tanushree Roy Paul
Character Illustration: Arjama Bandhyopadhyay
Background Illustration: Rakshit Adhikari
Lead Animation Design: Mihir Thanvi
Cel Animation: Adarsh Babu
Animation Assistant: Gagan Thanvi
Layout Visualisation: Robin Paul
Portfolio design: Pankaja Saral
Music Direction: Shubham Sengupta
Production Manager: Rituparna B.
Editing: Debendu Sarkar
Production Studio: The Kairos Pictures
Studio Partner: We Are Stories
